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On February 21, 2005, Colombian army units attacked two hamlets in the San José community in North-western Colombia. The soldiers brutally killed six people including two children and a baby. Those murdered were members of the »peace community San José de Apartadó«.

In 1997 the farmers had decided to declare neutrality and to refrain from cooperation with any of the armed groups in the war-torn Urabá region – be it the state, the paramilitaries, or the guerrilla. After decades of displacement the community hoped that neutrality would allow them to stay on their land.

In the face of continuing attacks, the people hold on to their project which they call »el proceso«. »El proceso« stands for the search for political alternatives in a conflict profiting few and victimizing many.

The peace community celebrates it's 9th birthday. One year ago the people were expelled from their village San José. On 25 February 2005 soldiers stormed the hamlet and killed 6 persons, the community spokesman Eduardo Guerra and two children among them. Instead of lifting the case and securing the traces a police post was erected in San José. When that happened the community fled to a private ground nearby.

The peace community of San José de Apartadó was founded in 1996, after particularly hard military attacks against the peasants. They came from their farmyards to gather in the centre of San José and decided to defend themselves by political means. On 23 March 1997, by the help of the bishop of Apartadó Isaias Duarte Cansino, they constituted themselves a peace community. They declared to be neutral in the... more

After 1988 the region of Urabá was the stage of a political awakening. The left wing party Unión Patriótica took care that for the first time there were means for the welfare of the population: schools, streets, health centres and student restaurants were built. Since the middle of the 90ies this movement was basically eliminated by an unusual papamilitary offensive. The governor at this time: Ŕlvaro Uribe Vélez.

The peace community celebrates its 9th anniversary with a mutual dinner and a march to the new cementary of San Josesito. There a community spokesman affirms, that there is no alternative for the people. "If they want to kill us, then they have to kill us. But the peace community does not think about backing off. Never."